Sliding spring closure for containers



Aug. 4, 1925 1,548,405

F. V. BELLUOMINI ET AL SLIDING SPRING CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Mapch10. 1925 Qnoemlou Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

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Application a. larch 10, ms. Serial No. 14,4.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRED -V. Bannoomm, EUGENE T. Bono, and Wnlm cD.Tau, citizens of the United States, residing I at Jackson, in the countyof Amador and State of California, have invented certaln new and usefulImprovements in Sliding Spring Closures for Cuntainers, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference 1 being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to closures, and

particularly to caps for tubes and othercontainerssuch as the flexibletubes used for tooth aste, shaving cream, and the like, 1' though t einvention is not limited m use to these articles.

Many of the toothpastes, shavm creams, and the like are contained inflexi le tubes which are closed by screw caps. This cap isvery likely tobe lost. The tube is usually used over a lavatory bowl and the capoftentimes sli s down through the dra nage openin oi the bowl into theoutlet pipe and is lialfie to become caught therein and form anobstruction in the pipe. Furthermore, the cap is relatively small, itslips out of the fingers, is liable to fall upon the floor and bediflicult to find, and if the cap is not used the cream becomes hard.While caps have. been provided which are connected to the tube so thatthey cannot readily fall ofi, it is still necessary to unscrew the capand screw it back. k

The general object of our invention is to provide a -container cap whichdoes not screw into place but slides into place, which is resilientlyheld in its container-closing position, and which is so linked to theneck of the container that it is impossible for the cap to be lost.

A further object is to provide a cap of this character which isconnected to the container by a very simple connection, which connectionis such as to allow the cap to be slid laterally either to dispose thecap over the mouth of the container or to slide it to one side of themouth.

A still further object in this connection is to rovide means whereb thiscap shall be resilientl urged toward the rim of the mouth oi thecontainer when the cap has been slid to its closed position.

another object is to provide a device'of this character which is soconstructed that the container may be opened and closed that is, the caslid to, its open or closed position with t e thumb and forefingeaofone-hand, thus making it particularly convenient.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following descri tion.

Our invention is i dstrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a side elevation of a tubular container showing our improved cap inits closed position;

Figure 2 is a front elevation with the arms 18 in section;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the con- I tainer and cap;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation, the

neck of the container bein partly broken away and the bar 19 being insection;

'Flgure 5 is a to plan view showing the cap shifted out of its closedposition;

lgure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation like Figure 4 showing the capshifted to its open position.

Referring to this drawing, it will be seen that 10 designates the usualflexible tube ii.

within which shaving creams, facial creams, toothpaste, etc., are todaysold and carried. This flexible container or tube is contracted at oneend, as at 11, and formed with an upstanding rim 12. The opposite 'endof the tube is, of course, closed by folding the metal of the tube overupon itself, as at 13. So far we have described the ordinary flexibletube such as used for artists paints and for creams.

The upper end of the neck 12 is formed with a depressed seat 14 which isadapted to be closed by a circular cap 15, the under face of which isconvex so as to fit the seat being extended, as at 21, over the cap andsoldered or otherwise engaged therewith.

The lateral bars 18 of the link, as before stated, slide in the guidesor slots 17, and

when the cross piece 19 is pushed the'cap 15 will be forced ff the topof the neck 12 and carried laterally so as to entirely disclose themouth. The rim of the neck 12 is formed on that side which faces thespring 20 with a flange 22 having a downwardly and outwardly inclinedface so that when the clip 18 is drawn .in a direction to carry the capback upon the mouth of the container, this inclined face of the flange22 will strike the forward edge of'the cap and lift the cap so that thecap will sli e over the top edge of the rim and then the spring 20 willcause the cap to close down against the seat 14, thus tightly closingthe mouth of the container.

It will be seen that this device provides a closure which is tight andsecure and yet which may be readily opened by simply holdmg thecontainer in the hand and pressing the thumb, for instance, onthe crossbar 19 to force the cap off, and that the cap may be as readily pulledback into place again. Inasmuch as there is no screw-threaded engagementbetween the cap and the mouth of the container, the cap may be placed ordisplaced very quickly and with a minimum of effort. The device is very"simple, may be cheaply made, and is readily applied. The spring keepsthe metal cap tightly in place when the tube is closed, making the tubeair-tight.

While'we have described this device as flexible tubes such as are usedfor toothpastes, shaving creams, facial creams, and.

artists colors, We do not wish to be limited thereto as it is obviousthat it might be used for a large variety of different containers, andthe invention is not to be limited to the specific form of the device asillustrated, as this may be changed in many ways without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims, nor is itto be limited to the particular combination of the cap with a flexiblecontainer as illustrated, as the cap may be disposed in othercombinations without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim 1. The combination with. a container having a neck and a mouth,of a cap fitting upon the mouth, means slidingly supporting the cap uponthe neck of the container for movement in a plane at right angles to theaxis of the neck whereb the ca may be moved toward or from-t e mout andmeans resiliently urging the cap in a direction parallel to the axis ofthe container and against the mouth.

2.- The combination with a container havwith a bevel-faced flange andthe nec ing a neck and mouth, of a member sliding- 1y embracing the neckand movable in a plane at right angles to the axis of the neck, and acap carried upon said sliding memher and adapted to fit over-the mouth.

3. The combination with a container having a neck and mouth, of a memberslidingly embracing the neck for movement in a plane at right angles tothe axis of the neck, a cap, anda spring operatively connecting the capto the sliding member and urging the cap parallel to the axis of theneck.

4:. The combination with a container having a neck, of a slide slidinglyembracing the neck and having sliding movement in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the neck, said slide carrying a coiled spring atone end, the coiled spring having an arm, and a capsupported by said armand adapted to close the neck in one position of the sliding member anddisclose the neck in another position of the sliding member.

5. The combination with a container having a neck, of a slide mountedupon the neck for sliding movement in a plane at right angles to theneck, a spring carried by said slide, and a cap carried by the springand urged by the spring in a line parallel to the axis of the neck andadapted in one position of the slide to close the neck and in anotherposition to disclose the neck.

6. The combination with a container having a neck, the neck being formedat one Iigt ing formed with a cap seat, ofv a member slidingly engagingthe neck for movement diametrically across the neck, a spring carried bythe member, and a cap carried by the spring and urged downwardlythereby, the beveled flange on the neck acting to lift the cap andpermit it to slide over onto the seat.

7. The combination with a container hav-- ing a neck, of laterallvdispnmfl niides carried by the neck, a sliding member including twolaterally disposed, parallel bars engaging in said guides, the barsbeing connected at one end, the opposite end of said bars carrying aspring, a cap supported by said spring and adapted to fit over the neck,the cap beingurged against the neck by the spring, and means for guidingthe cap into position on the neck.

8. A container having a neck, the neck being formed to provide twolaterally disposed, parallel, grooved guides, a slide mounted on theneck and including two parallel bars sliding in said grooves, the

ars being connected by a cross bar at one end, the opposite ends of thebars being extended toward each other and formed to provide a coiledspring having an n wardly extending arm, and a cap carried y said arm,the neck being formed with a seat upon which said cap rests andhaving aiflange ektending toward the coiled sgring, the upper face of the flangebeing own wardly and outwardly -beveled.

' 9. The combination with a container hav- "ing an outlet neck, of a capclosing the neck, and means 'slidably supporting the cap upon theneck-for movement in a. plane at neck including means resiliently ur 'ngthe 10 cap in a. direction parallel to the 8318 of the neck and towardthe mouth of the neck.

In testimony whereof we hereunto efli x our signatures.

J FRED v. BELL OMINE EUGENE T; BORO. WILLIAM D. TAM.

